NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – Three Apprentice School baseball players were named on Friday to the 2014 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) All-State baseball team. That equals the most Builders in one year recognized on the baseball team matching the 2004 and 2006 teams who also had three players honored.
Senior Chris Aldridge was the lone first-team honoree as he moved up from second team honors in 2013. The Toano, Va. native has amassed the sixth most hits in a single season in the last 24 years with his 65. He has had 20 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI games. He's had four hits in a game twice this year and drove in five runs going 4-for-5 against NCAA Division III Tournament participant Castleton State College. Aldridge finished the year with a team best .394 average.
Earning second team honors was first baseman Brian Belvin. A freshman from Gloucester, Va., Belvin handled first base most of the year and finished the year with a .333 batting average. He had 12 multi-hit games which all were two-hit games, and had 12 multi-RBI games topped by four against Southern Maine Community College. Belvin had a 14-game hitting streak earlier in the season which is second longest on the team this year and reached base in 24 straight games which is the longest streak of the year.
Joining him on the second team was relief pitcher Sam Massie. A junior from Hampton, he broke the single-season saves record with seven and took over the career saves mark with 19. Massie went 23 innings before issuing his first walk of the season against Christopher Newport. He struck out seven in 3.1 innings against Alfred State and finished with a 4-1 record and a 2.83 ERA with 33 strikeouts.
VaSID is comprised of sports information or athletics communications professionals from intercollegiate institutions throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Membership is open to any individual affiliated with one of the state's institutions at the NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, community college and independent levels, provided that individual's area of responsibility lies within the realm of sports information
2014 VaSID College Division All-State Baseball Teams
First Team
C – Rob Tomasulo, Lynchburg College
1B – Jacob Clifton, Roanoke College
2B – Lee Carneal, Hampden-Sydney College
3B – Michael Paul, Shenandoah University
SS – Billy Steel, Christopher Newport University
OF – Chris Aldridge, Newport News Apprentice School
OF – Keegan Dolan, Washington & Lee University
OF – Tommy Vitaletti, Christopher Newport University
DH – Nick Maiolo, Randolph-Macon College
UTIL – Adam Posey, Eastern Mennonite University
SP – Jake Perkins, Ferrum College
SP – Nick Santalucia, Christopher Newport University
SP – Darrell Thompson, Shenandoah University
RP – Robert Gallet, Bridgewater College
RP – Glenn McLaughlin, Randolph-Macon College
Second Team
C – Tyler Lundgren, Bluefield College
1B – Brian Belvin, Newport News Apprentice School
2B – Ryan McAlister, Eastern Mennonite University
3B – Nate Meiners, Randolph-Macon College
SS – Billy Arens, Shenandoah University
OF – Lincoln Evans, Lynchburg College
OF – Christian Hamlett, Hampden-Sydney College
OF – Spencer Wiles, Hampden-Sydney College
DH – Zac Russell-Myers, Bluefield College
UTIL – Taylor Davis, Averett University
SP – Bryan Bierlein, Christopher Newport University
SP – Kyle Henshaw, Bridgewater College
SP – Brandon Miller, Lynchburg College
RP – Jake Bram, Randolph-Macon College
RP – Sam Massie, Newport News Apprentice School
Player of the Year: Michael Paul, Shenandoah University
Co-Pitcher of the Year: Jake Perkins, Ferrum College
Co-Pitcher of the Year: Darrell Thompson, Shenandoah University
Rookie of the Year: Nick Maiolo, Randolph-Macon College
Coach of the Year: Curt Kendall, Bridgewater College